Axl Rose condemns Indonesian president for executions

Axl Rose has taken to Twitter to criticise Indonesian President Joko Widodo for the execution of two convicted drug traffickers.

The Guns N’ Roses frontman had been a vocal advocate of their cause, posting an open letter to Widodo on Monday (April 27) that appealed for clemency to be granted to Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, of Australia, and Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso of the Philippines.

“As all three are still alive these are clearly not cases where nothing can or should be done by those who care to do their utmost in efforts to spare them,” Rose wrote. “Under the circumstances it would seem that if they are executed regrettably the Indonesian government becomes the more offensive criminal”

Rose argued that the punishment exceeded the group’s crimes, claiming that he could easily have found himself in their position: “It’s true I do not know these men nor have I met them but their story has touched me deeply,” he wrote. “I as well as many others could easily have found ourselves in their unfortunate and unarguably self-inflicted position. People make mistakes, sometimes big and horribly regrettable mistakes and sometimes more importantly people learn from their mistakes.”

As reported by The Guardian, Rose sent a copy of the letter to US secretary of state John Kerry, the US ambassador to Indonesia, the chairman of Indonesia’s national commission on human rights, the Indonesian representative to the United Nations and the Indonesian ambassador to the United States. But despite his efforts, Chan and Sukumaran were put to death yesterday (April 29) on the Indonesian prison island of Nusakambangan, prompting the singer to take to Twitter, where he called the situation “deeply troubling” and accused Widodo or ignoring “international outcry”.

“Let’s pray Miss Veloso’s reprieve is permanent,” Rose added.

1. It's deeply troubling President Widodo ignoring International outcry went thru w/8 of the executions.